Betrayal and choices
by JXeleven
Summary: Arthur felt broken, hurt and betrayed... Merlin had betrayed him, his best friend had magic and... magic was evil, right? Will Arthur be able to make the right choice or does he needs a little push in the right direction? One-shot. Reveal fic.


_**A/N: Hello everyone out there, an one-shot for all of you. This one has been in my head for a while and I just wanted to write it, partly because my inspiration isn't on its highest point at the moment. Guess I'm missing a bit of inspiration... oh well.. This story will be a bit dark, especially in the beginning, but I hope you will all like were it goes. And I wish to thank my beta reader Miss Persuasion, she's a wonderful friend and a great help even when we life in totally different continents. Won't say much for now only to enjoy this one-shot and if you would like leave a review, they really motivate me to write more and quicker. **_

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Arthur's eyes were wide with shock... or rather with fear and betrayal. His mind screamed for it not to be true, for it all to be a dream. His eyes met those two so familiar sky blue eyes. He could see the pure terror in Merlin's eyes... and he knew that it was the truth.

Merlin had magic.

He had seen it with his own eyes. Merlin's eyes had turned a deep gold as a blast of wind had thrown one of their attackers against a tree.

It had all started when he and Merlin went on a hunt, their day began rather quiet, even with the occasional tripping and stumbling from his servant. That was all before they were attacked by three bandits. Arthur had taken out two of them before he spun around to search for the last one, for a moment fearing that Merlin had gotten hurt before he... he saw it.

It hurt, he felt betrayed and he wouldn't, couldn't say it, but it was as if his heart was broken, shattered into tiny pieces. Arthur didn't know what he felt, Merlin was his friend, probably even his best friend, but now... Merlin has magic, and magic is evil... but it's Merlin... the big stumbling idiot, or was that all just a lie? Had Merlin been lying to him for all these years, even now that he was king.

Had all of it had been a lie?

It was then that Merlin started to move, a soft whisper left his lips. 'Arthur?' He asked with a small voice as he took a step forward, his hand reaching for the king. Arthur took a hasty step backwards, not wanting this 'sorcerer' to come any closer. The raven's eyes widened even further as he realized that the king truly knew his secret. 'You saw?' It was a question, but one that both of them knew the answer to.

Arthur's face went blank, he couldn't show a 'sorcerer' that he was hurt, right? How long had Merlin been practicing magic? A wave of pure shock ran over his spine... Was Merlin in league with Morgana, but... Merlin had done so much for him in the past, he had proven to be a great friend, a loyal adviser.

He just didn't know if he should raise his sword or throw it away and grab Merlin by the shoulders to shake some sense into him. 'Arthur, I... I would never hurt you.' Merlin said weakly as the younger man seemed to be at a breaking point.

'How can I believe that, you betrayed me!' Arthur spit out and he saw how Merlin cringed under the words. 'You know what I think of magic, how could you dare to learn it, why did you betray me?' The words he almost hissed.

'I never meant to betray you, I... I didn't betray you, my magic is part of me!'

Arthur didn't know what he meant, but at this point he just didn't care, there was no way he could forgive Merlin for... for this. 'I don't want to hear it!' He screamed, still wanting to escape reality, just to forget what he had just seen, just heard.

Tears started to run over Merlin's cheeks, his small body shaking heavily, but the determination never left his friend's eyes. Merlin took another step forward and this time Arthur didn't back away, his mind to clouded with pain and anger. 'Arthur... please...' He asked through his tears.

Arthur only wanted to put his hands over his ears, he didn't want to hear, he just couldn't hear those words. His mind screamed to him to do something, to not let it be this way. He knew that he was meant to kill any sorcerer he met... but, he couldn't do that to Merlin. Not to his friend.

He had to make Merlin see sense, rid him of the evil that had overtaken him. Cure him from the addiction that was magic. He had to do it, do this for his friend.

Arthur breathed in once deeply, his lips changing into a tight line before he walked forward, his pace fast. He needed to get to Merlin, he wanted to try and shake it out of him. He saw how the 'sorcerer' took a step back, his eyes widening even further.

The king had forgotten that he still held his sword in his hand, slightly raised and to others it would look like he was about to strike Merlin down... it was what Merlin thought.

Arthur reached him and Merlin stumbled backwards, falling to the ground and lifting his hands up in defense, big tears streaming down his face as he mumbled. 'Please Arthur, don't.' He pleaded and the king froze in place shocked.

Arthur stared down at his friend... Merlin was afraid of him... His best friend was afraid of him... The way Merlin looked at him was painful, heartbreaking. Arthur quickly dropped his sword, startling Merlin even more as the metal hit the ground. Arthur himself almost sank next to Merlin on the ground, his shaking hands reaching for the raven's shoulders, but Merlin flinched away, scrambling away as he feared for his life.

'No!' Was the only word Merlin screamed, clearly in total panic. Arthur wanted to stop him, almost forgetting what had happened, and trying to calm him down. Merlin just kept flinching away and eventually he got to his feet.

Merlin half fell and half ran away and Arthur just stood frozen, watching as his best friend ran from his sight... He had chased him away.

xxx

Big teardrops ran over Merlin's cheeks as he ran, he didn't watch where he was going, just followed his feet, his magic... his cursed magic. If he hadn't had magic then this all wouldn't have happened, then he could have lived a normal life, and Arthur wouldn't have wanted to kill him.

The words hurt him, his best friend had wanted to kill him, strike him down with his sword as if he was a mere bandit, a criminal... but that was what he was, right? A monster, something that shouldn't be allowed to live.

Gaius had always had told him that Arthur would understand, yes, he would be angry, but he would eventually accept. It was all just a lie.

His life was destroyed, he could never return to Camelot, never hug Gwen again or joke with the knights, never hear Gaius' soothing words, but now he would never see them again. He had nowhere to go, he had no home nor life...

A loud scream left his lips, he didn't want this, why couldn't fate just let him be, give him just some time to live normally.

Merlin tripped, his jaw hitting the soft ground. A deep groan left his lips as he felt the pain throbbing through his head and he screamed again, he had had enough. Merlin wept as he tried to empty his head and his heart.

He didn't know how long he lay there, it could have been mere seconds or minutes before he was ran out of tears, his throat sore from screaming and he opened his eyes as he realized that his hands brushed over soft sand. He tilted his head slightly up, frowning as he realized that he wasn't in the woods anymore, he had reached a lake... a familiar lake.

The raven pulled himself up on his knees, brushing his tears away as he looked to the middle of the lake. For a moment the lake's water was perfectly still, not even broken by the soft breeze before a soft rippling spread over the soft surface. The water opened itself and allowed the lady of the lake to reveal herself. Her eyes stood worried as she walked towards him, he gaped slightly as he watched her, she was like a queen to him.

Freya opened her arms as her feet met the sand, embracing him in a motherly way. And he gave in, resting his head on her chest as he started to cry again, dry tears as he had already cried so much before. She made soothing sounds and he knew that Freya knew all that had happened.

'You're going to be alright... I promise you that it's all going to be alright.' She said calmly and he just nodded in response. He felt how she stroke his mind with her magic, calming him down and he let her. '... Now, just sleep.' She almost breathed against him and he let unconsciousness take over.

xxx

Arthur didn't know what to do, he could barely compute what had happened, what was still happening. He had reached for Merlin, but he hadn't been able stop the other from running away, he had scared him away.

Maybe it was for the better, he didn't have to run after him, in fact he didn't have to do anything for this 'sorcerer'... Even so he couldn't ignore the questions the others would give him and he couldn't ignore the painful throbbing in his heart.

No... no, he couldn't leave his friend... The anger in his heart had somewhat settled, now he felt more betrayed. He needed to talk with Merlin, convince him that magic was a bad thing... He knew in his heart that he couldn't kill his friend.

A soft sob left his lips as he stood up, grabbing his sword before sheathing it again.

And he just started to walk, he didn't know where Merlin had run to, but... it felt as if someone was tugging him forwards, guiding him... _Magic_... He tried to ignore the word that had slowly made its way inside his head again.

He walked for a good ten minutes, his mind so settled on finding Merlin that he didn't even notice how the scenery around him changed, the woods became lighter and in the distance he could see a clearing, or what he later noticed as a large lake.

He walked onto the sand, his eyes never leaving the mesmerizing blue lake in front of him, reminding him of Merlin's deep blue eyes. He immediately felt shivers run down his spine, the lake felt mighty... at least if it could be that. It felt like something more, something that would forever exist.

'Arthur.' It was a stern, but kind womanly voice that called to him and he looked around. His eyes immediately going wide at the sight in front of him.

He saw a young woman sitting on the shore, her whole body dripping wet with water as her long black hair hung against her back, her red dress ripped, but even so she looked like a queen... But what shocked him even more was the sight of Merlin lying in her lap, unmoving.

'Merlin!' He called out for him as he reached for his sword, the one that to his shock, wasn't there. This woman may look kind, but at the same time she felt threatening, she clearly had magic. 'What have you done to him?' He snapped.

The woman just smiled at him before she lifted Merlin's head and placed the servant on the sand, slowly standing up and making her way towards Arthur, it looked like she was almost floating. 'Do you recognize me?'

'From where should I recognize you?' He hissed.

She chuckled softly before she took a deep breath. 'My name is Freya and you, Arthur Pendragon, killed me.'

He looked stunned at her... he had killed her, but then how could he see her here. 'How?' He breathed, it may seem unlikely, but somehow he knew it was the truth, somehow he knew he wasn't in Camelot anymore.

'That's not important, you actually freed me, but... at the same time I left behind my only love.' Her eyes shifted for a moment more to Merlin before returning. 'You're probably wondering where you are... You're at the lake of Avalon, one of the most magical places in the world and I have guarded it ever since I died.' Freya straightened her back. 'But we're not here to talk about me, we are here to talk about Merlin.'

'What have you done to him?'

'I just put him to sleep, he's fine, just exhausted from your fight with him... He's broken.'

A sting off pain shot through his body. 'But he has magic!' He tried desperately, not wanting the be the one at fault.

'Yes, what about it?' She asked as she leaned towards him, her face just mere inches away from his.

He blinked at her, wanting to step away, but he just couldn't. 'B-because magic is evil...'

'Is it really?' A deep frown spread over Arthur's face, it was clear that magic was evil, right?... _but Merlin isn't evil_... A small voice inside his head told him. 'Just like the sword magic can be used for both good and bad, depending on how the user uses it.' Again her eyes shifted to the raven behind her. 'And I can assure you that Merlin has only ever used it for good, to protect you and Camelot.'

'How can I believe that?'

She softly chuckled. 'Just believe in Merlin, he's your friend, isn't he?'

Arthur looked away, not able to meet her eyes. Yes, Merlin was his friend and he wanted to believe him so badly, forgive him for all he had done, for the betrayal. Was what Freya said right?... It all made sense somehow, it may not be what his father had always told him, but... but he didn't feel what he had always felt... it had been lurking in his heart for a long time. His father was wrong.

A soft laugh left his lips, those words felt good. He had always admired his father, but nowadays he knew that the man had made so many mistakes... Was the purge also one of those mistakes? Had they always killed innocent people?

But what about Morgana, she was evil, there was no point denying that... but she had the same kind of hatred most other magic users had, coming from the fear of being killed. He had never thought of what his father would have done if he had ever found out about her magic, but he knew the answer... He would have killed her.

Did she became evil because she felt fear? Loneliness? Once she was such a sweet girl, kind and full of love, it wasn't hatred that had corrupted her, but fear.

Could he have prevented her from turning evil?

A loud roar left his lips as he sank to the ground. He finally understood, or at least he understood partly. There were still many things he needed to know, he needed to understand. He had to talk with Merlin.

He gulped as he looked up at Freya, her bright eyes looking desperately at him, hoping that he would finally understand. '... I guess you're right.' He said with a soft smile. He would try to right the mistakes his father had made, it may take years, but... he would give all people an equal chance, give magic users a life.

He looked at Merlin; Starting with his friend.

'Can you wake him up? I think I finally understand what you're trying to tell me and what I need to do.' Arthur slowly stood up and he looked at the lady of the lake, a small smile had spread over her lips. 'I'm sorry for what I have done to you... killing you... I may not have a chance to make it right to you, but I can help other magic users, beginning with Merlin.'

Freya laughed softly as at the same time a single tear ran over her cheek. 'It's fine, that's all I need. Merlin once saved my life and I was never able to repay him for it, please, save him for me.' He gave her a soft nod and she walked to Merlin.

Freya kneeled down, placing her soft lips on Merlin's forehead before standing up again. The lady of the lake smiled once more at him before returning to the water, leaving without a single word, she was satisfied.

Arthur watched her as she left, knowing he would never see her again, but at the same time he was so grateful. A soft groan filled the air and he turned around, seeing how Merlin started to wake up. The raven blinked rapidly before he pushed himself up, his eyes settled on the lake, longing clearly visible in his eyes.

'Merlin?' Merlin's head snapped around, his eyes going wide with the sight of Arthur in front of him. He gaped for a moment before he quickly got to his feet, stumbling backwards as his fear of Arthur was still clearly visible in those eyes. '... Merlin, it's alright. I understand.'

'Y-you do?' It was spoken with such uncertainty, with such fear.

It hurt, but he knew he was the one that needed to protect Merlin now... for his own fear. 'I talked with Freya and I realized that what my father... what I have done is so wrong. I still need to talk with you, you still have a lot to explain to me and I definitely still feel hurt, but... I'm not angry anymore, I want to change.'

'You're willing to listen?' The raven asked startled. '... I also have made mistakes.'

Arthur laughed. 'And I haven't made mistakes.' The king crossed the distance between them, laying his hand reassuringly on Merlin's shoulder. He tried to ignore the hurt he felt as Merlin flinched slightly, but eventually the raven leaned back in, allowing them to touch. 'There's a lot we have to do to change Camelot and it's ways, but I need your help.'

Merlin's eyes shifted for a moment to the lake, looking questionably at the water before turning back. His voice was filled with uncertainty. 'You're willingly to create Albion with me?'

Arthur may not know what this 'Albion' means, but... he trusted Merlin. 'Yes.'


End file.
